%2F2YUTAI6OCuHgLZjX5CMAXFds.png&w=3840&q=75&dpl=dpl_Bn5pzhFKijgLC1ABY1XwLFYaC7wg)
Lucas TraikoffTo prepare a HubSpot and Salesforce integration, clean up duplicates in both systems, decide whether new HubSpot contacts become Salesforce leads or contacts, align data types and picklist values, map every object and field, and check Salesforce validation rules before you switch the sync on. You also need a HubSpot Professional or Enterprise subscription and a Salesforce edition with API access, or Salesforce Professional.
The integration between Salesforce and HubSpot is a popular one. Typically, businesses want to use Sales Cloud as the main CRM and Marketing Hub as the automation platform.
This series looks at the integration in three parts.
- The preparation (this article)
- The integration work
- Sync, use cases and best practices
Competition is the elephant in the room
The native integration does a good job of connecting both platforms, but we cannot forget that HubSpot and Salesforce are competitors.
/mz3EFQ5aEXVUEkR0v6mtZfCTA.png)
The consequence of this competition is that the integration could technically be better if they wanted it to be. In both cases you get more value if you go all-in with one vendor, whether that is Salesforce Account Engagement and Sales Cloud or HubSpot's Marketing Hub and Sales Hub. One big challenge, for example, is marketing attribution across the two platforms. It is much easier with just one.
The sales representatives of each platform know that, and they try everything they can (big discounts, mostly) to get you to switch. The result is an amplified divide between marketing and sales teams.
Eventually, we see many businesses go fully into one platform. We wrote a guide that helps you choose between HubSpot and Salesforce.
Preparations
Before activating the integration, there are some preparations you want to make.
Check the requirements
HubSpot's Salesforce integration is available with a Professional or Enterprise subscription of Marketing Hub, Sales Hub, Service Hub, Data Hub, Content Hub or Smart CRM. On the Salesforce side you need an edition with API access, or Salesforce Professional; Group Edition is not supported.
Clean data and duplicate prevention
One prerequisite for the integration is clean data and duplicate prevention. The biggest issue with duplicates is that they pollute your database, skew your reporting and break the synchronisation. For HubSpot and Salesforce, the biggest risk is the sync between HubSpot contacts and Salesforce leads and contacts.
Duplicate leads and contacts in Salesforce
The integration matches HubSpot contacts with Salesforce leads and contacts by email address. HubSpot does not allow two records to share an email address; Salesforce does.
This means that if two records have the same name and similar fields but different emails, they are not treated as duplicates. That makes sense, as every country has very common names, such as "Tim Carter" in the United Kingdom or "Max Müller" in Germany.
The issue starts once Salesforce leads and contacts share the same email address. HubSpot then has to pick one. On the first sync, it syncs with the first matching record Salesforce returns, in no particular order. After that, it syncs with whichever matching record was most recently updated in Salesforce.
The consequence is that the wrong records get matched, data overwrites the wrong record and sync errors appear. You lose information and, depending on how many duplicates exist, reporting gets skewed.
Hence it is crucial that there are close to zero duplicates in each system. You get there with proper duplicate rules in Salesforce, good data hygiene and regular clean-ups. When you merge duplicates in Salesforce, keep the record that is currently syncing with HubSpot as the primary record. We recommend deduplication tools, or a matching script like the one in our Python guide to matching accounts before import, to keep the database clean.
Duplicate HubSpot contacts with different emails
A person can exist twice in HubSpot under two different emails, for example after downloading content once with a work email and once with a private one. If duplicate HubSpot contacts correspond to one Salesforce lead or contact, merge the HubSpot contacts into the one that is in sync with Salesforce.
Design decisions for the integration
Here are a few design decisions to make before you connect.
Minimum object requirement
For the integration to work, you need to sync at least HubSpot contacts with Salesforce leads and contacts. Other objects, such as opportunities and accounts, are optional.
Decision to create leads or contacts
The integration can create either a new lead or a new contact in Salesforce, not both. In HubSpot's sync rules, the choice is "Create or update the lead" or "Create or update the contact". In most cases you will choose leads.
Some organisations skip the Lead object and use only accounts and contacts in Salesforce. We recommend caution with this approach. It can work, and it has the clear benefit that nobody confuses leads with contacts.
The issue starts with your wider ecosystem of platforms. Many third-party tools need the Lead object to integrate with Salesforce, and we have seen organisations implement Salesforce without leads, only to turn the object back on a year later because of integration requirements. Map the tools around your CRM first; our tech stack mapping template helps.
Duplicate management also gets harder with only accounts and contacts. A contact needs an account in Salesforce, so when the sync creates a contact it cannot match to an existing account, you risk a duplicate account.
Similar data types
Data types define fields or properties in the two platforms, such as text fields, picklists and checkboxes. The integration requires matching data types and, for picklists, matching option values. The table below shows a dropdown in HubSpot mapped to a picklist in Salesforce.
| HubSpot value | Salesforce value | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Alpha | Alpha | Syncs |
| Beta | Beta | Syncs |
| Gamma | Gama | Sync error, because the spelling differs |
| Delta | (missing) | Sync error, because the value is missing in Salesforce |
| Epsilon | Epsilon (inactive) | Sync error, because inactive values are not synced |
Salesforce lets you set a picklist value to inactive. The value can no longer be selected, but old records that have it still display it. HubSpot has no equivalent, and in our experience inactive values cause sync errors. Mismatched options in general are a common error source, and HubSpot's list of sync errors includes "Restricted picklist value", "Mismatched options" and "Missing Salesforce picklist option".
Customisation, workflows, validations and other rules
Salesforce lets you set up rules that govern your data. For example, "Job Title" may be mandatory in Salesforce but optional in HubSpot. When a HubSpot record has no job title, the sync fails, because Salesforce does not accept a blank in a mandatory field. HubSpot reports these as "Missing required value" or "Salesforce custom field validation rule" errors, and records blocked by a Salesforce matching rule show a "Salesforce duplicate rule" error.
Be aware of all validation and other rules. We recommend mapping them all out and checking whether they affect the integration. Our guide to CRM database design covers field governance rules that prevent most of these conflicts.
Object and field mapping
A helpful exercise is to prepare an object and field mapping between the two platforms, matching each object with its corresponding fields. We recommend a separate table for each object. Here is an example for HubSpot contact to Salesforce lead and contact.
| HubSpot | Salesforce | Data type | Mandatory | Direction | Rule | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Title | Job Title | Short text | Yes | Both | No | |
| Division | Unit | Picklist | No | Both | Validation | Picklist values need to be the same |
One owner per field, one path for activities
Two decisions save more rework than any other. First, name the system of record for each field and each object. When both systems can create or change the same records without a rule, our client work keeps showing the same result, which is duplicate or unmatched records and reporting nobody trusts. Second, pick one path for logging emails, calls and meetings. When several tools capture the same activity, duplicates are almost guaranteed.
Native integrations are the right starting point because the vendors maintain them. If you outgrow the connector, layer middleware or a custom API integration on top rather than replacing it piece by piece.
If you would rather do the preparation and the build with experienced hands, our HubSpot and Salesforce implementation team maps the objects and fields, cleans duplicates on the way through and sets up the sync together with your own operator.
Change management
The final step is to prepare your team for the integration. Solution owners and end users will both be affected. Make sure everyone knows about the upcoming change and how it will affect their work. Proper communication helps people adapt.
What comes next
Part 2 covers the integration work, including the integration user, selective sync and inclusion lists, field priority, unsubscribe status and activity sync. Part 3 covers sync, use cases and best practices. Both are on our Growth Track newsletter, linked at the top of this guide. If you want help with any of it, talk to our CRM implementation team.
FAQ
What do you need to connect HubSpot and Salesforce?
You need a HubSpot Professional or Enterprise subscription (Marketing, Sales, Service, Data or Content Hub, or Smart CRM) and a Salesforce edition with API access, or Salesforce Professional. Salesforce Group Edition is not supported.
Does the HubSpot integration create leads or contacts in Salesforce?
It creates one or the other, not both. In the sync rules you choose "Create or update the lead" or "Create or update the contact", and most companies choose leads.
How does HubSpot match records with Salesforce?
HubSpot matches by email address. If several Salesforce leads or contacts share an email, HubSpot syncs with the first one Salesforce returns on the first sync, then with the most recently updated one. That is why duplicates in Salesforce cause records to overwrite each other.
What causes HubSpot Salesforce sync errors?
Most sync errors come from mismatched picklist values, Salesforce validation rules and required fields, Salesforce duplicate rules, and emails already used by another HubSpot contact. Mapping fields and cleaning duplicates before go-live prevents most of them.
Should you remove the Lead object in Salesforce?
Usually not. It removes confusion between leads and contacts, but many third-party tools need the Lead object to integrate with Salesforce, and duplicate accounts become more likely. Map your tool ecosystem before you decide.
